Walking is one of the easiest and best ways to boost your fitness, lift your mood, beat stress and contribute towards your weight loss goals.

Plus, for many, it is the simplest and most accessible form of exercise, with no associated cost.
A brisk walk can burn up to 100 calories per mile.

The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) found that those who engaged in daily moderate exercise experienced anti-aging benefits that could add an additional three to seven years to your life.

If that's not an incentive, I don't know what is.

To benefit from clearing your head, beating stress and helping to release those all-important positive endorphins, adopt the key points below:

(1) Walk with a friend – It helps to have company, plus it also helps with motivation when you have someone with similar fitness goals. You can both help each other through the ups and downs.

(2) Build up slowly – Rome wasn’t built in a day so don’t set yourself a target of three 10 mile walks a week. Pick walk distances to suit your level of fitness and increase incrementally each time.

(3) Find a reliable route – There are plenty of parks, trials, towpaths and woodlands in the Berkshire area. You are effectively spoilt for choice.

(4) Set yourself a goal – Refer back to my article on 10,000 steps a day for example. Learn to use the help app on
your iPhone or smart device and keep track of your daily activity levels.

(5) Join a club - There are lots of walking clubs all over the country where you can meet fellow walkers and sign up to a range of walking and trekking adventures.

If you think walking is the perfect form of exercise for you, then set yourself a challenge and get involved.

cross-circle